BC Hydro Free Smart Thermostats: How to Claim Yours
This fall, BC Hydro is giving away smart thermostats. If your home is heated with electric baseboards, you could receive up to five of them free, a package BC Hydro values at $600. Here is the full breakdown: who qualifies, which thermostats are included, what you are agreeing to with Peak Saver, and the one part of the job where calling an electrician is the smart move.
Who qualifies for the free thermostats?
BC Hydro lists three conditions. You need a residential BC Hydro account with an online MyHydro account, your home must be heated with electric baseboard heating, and the thermostats must be installed at the same service address linked to the account you order with.
Each household can claim up to five thermostats. If you rent, you will need your landlord's permission before placing the order. Homes with furnaces, heat pumps, or any other heating system do not qualify; this offer is only for electric baseboard heating.
Which thermostats are included?
The offer covers two Canadian brands: Mysa and Sinope. Both are designed specifically for electric baseboard heating, and both are compatible with Peak Saver, which is a requirement of the offer.
The difference between them comes down to your wiring. Mysa thermostats work with four-wire (two pair) setups, while Sinope thermostats work with two-wire setups. If you are not sure what is behind your current thermostats, both manufacturers offer a compatibility checker on their websites. BC Hydro also notes that a certified electrician can identify your wiring and confirm which thermostat suits your home.
What is Peak Saver, and what am I agreeing to?
Claiming the free thermostats means enrolling them in Peak Saver, BC Hydro's demand response program. Here is how it works: during occasional periods of very high electricity demand, BC Hydro may adjust enrolled thermostats by one to three degrees. Each event lasts no more than four hours, after which your thermostat returns to its normal schedule.
You keep full control. You can opt out of any event at any time and override the adjustment. The tradeoff for participating is a $50 seasonal reward per household, paid as a bill credit after the winter season. One detail worth knowing: if you order the free thermostats, you are not eligible for the separate Peak Saver enrollment bonus, but you still earn the seasonal reward.
If you run a business, demand works differently on the commercial side. We wrote about BC Hydro demand charges and how businesses can reduce them separately.
Can I install a smart thermostat myself?
Both Mysa and Sinope publish step-by-step installation videos, and a confident DIYer can follow them. But it is worth understanding what you are working with. These are line-voltage thermostats, meaning they switch 120V or 240V directly, the same power feeding your baseboard heaters. That is a different job from swapping a low-voltage thermostat like a Nest, which only handles 24V control signals.
BC Hydro's own page states that installing a hardwired smart thermostat is regulated electrical work in British Columbia, and it recommends hiring a certified electrician if you are not comfortable doing the installation yourself. It also suggests checking with Technical Safety BC about permit requirements before starting.
As a rule of thumb, call an electrician if any of these sound familiar: you are not sure which breaker controls the heater, the existing wiring looks old or crowded, there are signs of past overheating such as discoloured wire insulation, or you simply do not want to work inside a box carrying 240 volts. There is no prize for doing this particular job yourself.
How much does professional installation cost?
Rather than wondering what it might cost, just ask us for a quote. We will give you a straightforward flat rate up front, so you know exactly what you are paying before any work starts. The installation is done by a licensed electrician and backed by our 2-year warranty on all labour, which means it is installed properly and safely, with no electrical hazards to worry about. Call our team at (778) 805-7074 for a quote.
What if I live in a strata building?
If your strata building uses electric baseboard heating and each unit carries its own residential BC Hydro account, each household can claim its own set of thermostats. This is also an opportunity for strata councils: coordinating a building-wide installation day means every unit gets done correctly in one scheduled push, with consistent workmanship across the building. If your council is considering it, talk to us about booking the building as a single job.
The bottom line
Free thermostats, $600 in value, plus a $50 seasonal reward for letting BC Hydro nudge your temperature a degree or two on the coldest days of winter. If your home has electric baseboard heating, this is one of the simplest offers BC Hydro has put out. Order through the links on BC Hydro's free smart thermostats page, and if the installation side of it makes you hesitate, that is exactly what electricians are for.
Ordered your free thermostats and want them installed properly? Reisinger Electric is a licensed and insured electrical contractor serving Surrey, Langley, and the Lower Mainland. Technical Safety BC licence LEL0102055, and a 2-year warranty on all labour. Call our team at (778) 805-7074.
